Catholic leaders in the state of Washington have expressed concern over a bill advancing in the state legislature that would require priests to report child abuse or neglect even if they heard about it during a person’s confession.
Author: Carol Zimmermann
Supreme Court Looks for Common Ground for Postal Worker Who Didn’t Want to Work Sundays
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments April 18 about a former postal worker who was forced to work Sundays against his religious beliefs.
Several U.S. Dioceses Lift Pandemic Restriction, Resume Use of Communion Cup
When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the United States in 2020, U.S. dioceses put liturgical restrictions in place, such as no longer using the Communion cup, to avoid potential germs with a shared vessel.
Court Order Keeps Abortion Drug Available with Restrictions
A federal appeals court in a 2-1 ruling just before midnight April 12 stopped part of the recent order by a Texas judge to suspend approval of the abortion pill mifepristone but the new ruling also put restrictions on the drug’s use.
Louisiana Governor Urges State Lawmakers to Abolish Death Penalty
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards called on state legislators to do away with the death penalty in his April 10 address opening the spring legislative session in Baton Rouge.
Idaho Gov. Signs First of its Kind ‘Abortion Trafficking’ Law
Idaho Republican Gov. Brad Little signed into law on April 5 legislation that makes it illegal for an adult to help a minor get an abortion without parental consent — the first measure of its kind in the country.
Alternative Spring Breaks Provide Life Lessons for College Students
Spring break, an annual rite of passage for many college students, was back in full force this year, with the pandemic and its travel restrictions pretty much in the rearview mirror.
Republicans Subpoena FBI Director Over Plan to Monitor Catholic Church Members
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan subpoenaed FBI Director Christopher Wray on April 10 for documents related to a now-withdrawn FBI field office memo about developing sources in Catholic parishes to report suspicious activity that could involve domestic violent extremism.
Federal Judges Issue Conflicting Rulings on FDA’s Approval of Abortion Pill
Two very different rulings on April 7 by federal judges on the abortion drug mifepristone highlight the country’s disparate views on the subject and signal that the Supreme Court will likely have to weigh in on the drugs’ future availability.
Catholic Leaders Affirm Request to Overturn Death Row Inmate’s Sentence
Immediately after the Oklahoma attorney general asked a state appeals court to vacate the sentence of Richard Glossip, a prisoner who had been on death row for nearly 25 years, Sister Helen Prejean tweeted the news.